Monday, June 1, 2015

Bible Study Notes in Leviticus- Chapter 20

Leviticus 20

-This chapter goes further into detail on the LORD’s
expectations for purity against sexual immorality, the occult, and human
sacrifice. The pagan practices of the killing children to appease their false
gods is attacked by the Sovereign LORD who is kind and calls murdering of
innocent lives a sin (Exodus 20:13, Deuteronomy 19:10, Proverbs 6:16-17). In
Israel there is to be no giving of children to the false god Molech (The
neighboring Ammonites’ national god who required human sacrifices for appeasing
anger), plus any aliens sojourning among them are not allowed to do these
despicable acts. God says He will set His Face against any man who practices
these abominations because it defiles His sanctuary and His Holy Name. In fact,
if the nation does not put any man to death for doing these inhumane acts, the
LORD promises to set His Face against them (Leviticus 20:1-5). Also, God
prohibits people from seeking mediums and spiritists to “play the harlot after
them (Leviticus 20:6).” This is occultic divining, or trying to see into the
future, as a source of information outside the realm and revelation of God.
These are false hopes and tainted visions predicting what will happen since
only the LORD has seen the future. His Word is sufficient and any deviation
from His direction is to be cut off from among the people. God reiterates His
expectations in verses seven and eight that the children of Israel consecrate
themselves as to “keep My statutes and practice them; I am the LORD who
sanctifies (sets apart) you.” Cursing the father or mother is a capital offense
in the land (Leviticus 20:9). So is adultery, incest, homosexuality, and
bestiality (Leviticus 20:10-16). Sexual relations with blood relatives is cause
for being excommunicated from the camp as well as having relations with a woman
during her menstrual period (Leviticus 20:17-21). All this will protect the
pureness of the society and keep them together as a people for perpetuity. They
were warned not to follow the customs of the nation that they were going to
dispossess in Canaan because God abhorred these detestable and unnatural acts
(Leviticus 20:22-23). God was giving His people a good land “flowing with milk
and honey” and was separating them as a holy example of how to live properly in
love, mutual respect, and dependence upon the Him (Leviticus 20:24). Further,
they were to make the distinction between clean and unclean animals, which had
been outlined before (Leviticus 11; 20:25). Holiness is again reiterated with a
final prohibition for a man or a woman to practice being a medium or spiritist.
These will be put to death by stoning because their bloodguiltiness is upon
them (Leviticus 20:26-27).

-*Application* We still deal with the issues of appeasing
God, having a fascination with the occult, and sexual impurity today. Let’s
break these down a bit and see if God can’t help us grow in our understanding.
To appease God’s wrath, we must accept His Divine human sacrifice of the cross
through Jesus. Because of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, we can see
that God is for us and not against us in His grace, mercy, and love. We don’t
have to try to earn His favor. It’s already been given on Calvary. Secondly,
His Word is all we need to have confidence and assurance (hope) in the future.
We don’t need to dabble in the demonic with all its intrigue and manipulation.
Seek and cultivate the real thing in the Holy Spirit, who has all knowledge and
discerns all things. Finally, be satisfied with how God has created you and
seek sexual pureness within the bounds of biblical covenant marriage (One man with
one woman for one lifetime, Genesis 2:20-25, Matthew 19:4-6, Mark 10:6-9).
Contentment and union can be ultimately found in doing things God’s way.
Striving in our own selfish manners and ambitions will lead only to chaos,
breakdown, and destruction.